New School Year Commences in Aiken and Edgefield Counties
A wave of excitement and nervous anticipation filled the air as the school bells rang, marking the commencement of the new school year in Aiken and Edgefield counties. After a short summer break, schools reopened, displaying bustling corridors and filled classrooms, ready for the year-round academic schedule.
Mixed Responses to Year-Round Schooling
Introduced recently in Aiken County, the year-round schooling system has stirred up a blend of feelings among students, parents, and the teaching community. While some embraced the change with enthusiasm, others are still adjusting to the shift.
Midland Valley High School became a hub of eager students and hopeful parents anticipating a successful academic year. “These are the best kids around the best kept secret in the CSRA,” gushed Midland Valley Principal Sheldon Higgenbottom, expressing his pride and optimism about his students.
A Shorter Summer and Rigorous Preparations
Despite the new schedule truncating the summer break, the school staff worked tirelessly to ensure a smooth transition.“You have a little bit of a shorter summer, and just the adjustment is trying to get everything prepared. And to make sure you’re, you know, everything’s good to go. We put in a lot of hours. My counselors, my teachers, everybody just put in a ton of hours getting everything ready,” Higgenbottom shared.
Supply Drives and Events Kick-off
With the start of the new academic year, various back-to-school drives and events are on the calendar across the CSRA, aimed at helping parents and students to stock up on necessary school supplies.
Reviews on Year-Round Schooling
One parent, Glinda Washington, shared her positive experience with the year-round schooling schedule. “It worked out pretty good. I mean, two weeks in October and two weeks for spring break,” she opined. Her daughter, an incoming freshman, is also no stranger to this system.
Resuming Regular Schooling
Midland Valley High and other schools are buzzing once more with students, a sight that brings joy amid the recent challenges due to the pandemic. Higgenbottom echoed this sentiment, stating “It’s a lot. But it’s okay. We’re the more the merrier.”
A Smooth Transition
Another parent, Crystal Lee, lauded the efforts of the school administration in ensuring an easy transition for her child into a new institution. “Speaking with the people in the office, they were really sweet. I look forward to starting school at a different school and just trying something different,” she stated.
A Fresh Start
As the educational wheel sets into motion once again in Aiken County and Edgefield County, teachers, students, and parents stand together, dedicated to making the most of this new academic year. Adaptation to the year-round education system continues, requiring perseverance, collaboration, and a keen spirit of learning from the entire educational community.
